Relating to the

FIGURE S.

THE Hiftory of Perfons and Nations, the Defcription of Places and Things, the Cuftoms of particular Countries and Ages, together with the Rites and Ceremonies of Worfhip, may be reprefented to the Reader with much greater Exactnefs and Perfpicuity, by Affiftance borrowed from Maps and Figures, which fet them plainly before the Eye. But there were two things which hindered me from making fo great Use of these Affistances as I could have defired.

The first is this: It would have increased the Expence, and rendered the Book perhaps too chargeable to common private Families, and their Children, whose Inftruction in the Knowledge of Things relating to the Church of God in all Ages, I have chiefly defigned.

The other thing that difcouraged me, was the great Difficulty to adjust the exact Form of feveral Places and Things mentioned in this Book; particularly that of the City Jerufalem, and the various remarkable Parts of it; and the Temple built by Solomon, and rebuilt, firft by Zerubbabel, and afterward by Herod; together with the feveral Courts and Edifices that belonged to it. There is fo very wide a Difference among the feveral Opinions of learned Men, who have laboured in describing the Temple, fuch as Villalpandus, Arias, Montanus, Witfius, Lightfoot, Father L'Army, &c.

that

!

that it is hard to determine with any Certainty which was the true Form, and I was not willing to lead my Readers into a Mistake.

However, that this Book might not be utterly deftitute of fome of thefe Advantages, I have endeavoured to reprefent the Tabernacle raifed by Mofes in the Wildernefs, in the midft of the Camp of Ifrael, together with the Altars and Vessels that relate to it, the feveral Coverings of it, the Court round about it, and the Garments of the High-Prieft, that my Readers might obtain fome clearer Ideas of the fe things; because fome of these things are so often mentioned in the Old Teftament, and to these the Apostle Paul, in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, has fo frequent Reference while he explains the Gofpel of Chrift: And I hope thefe will in fome measure attain the End which I propofed to myself.

In the first Plate.

In the Court of the Tabernacle the Reader may obferve the Pillars of Wood ftanding on Sockets of Brafs, with the Hangings of fine Linnen five Cubits deep, which is fuppofed to be Gaufe or Network, that the whole Nation might fee what was done there: Thefe Hangings went all round, and inclofed the Court, which was a long Square, a hundred Cubits in length from Eaft to Weft, and fifty Cubits in breadth from North to South, Exod. xxxviii. 9. and xxvii. 18.

He may obferve allo the Pins of Brass fixed in the Ground, to which the Top of every Pillar was faftened by a Cord, to keep the Pillars firm and fteady against the Wind, Num. iii. 37. and iv. 34.

The upper Part of the Laver is fuppofed to have feveral Pipes or Holes for letting Water, out in a

fmall

fmall Stream into the large hollow Bottom or Foot of it, whereby the Priests might wash themselves with great Conveniency.

The Altar of Burnt-Offering hath its Ascent made floping, and not with Steps, which were forbidden, Exod. xx. 26.

The feveral Tribes, which form the Camp of Ifrael, are pitched round about the Court of the Tabernacle, according to the beft Account of learned Men, which they derive from Numb. i. 52, 53. and Numb. ii. Gerfhom, Kohath, and Merari, which are the three Families of the Tribe of Levi, are nearest the Court: Mofes and Aaron just before the Gate of the Court.

Note, In each of the Tribes you fee their Army first, The General's Tent or Pavilion in the midst, and the Tents of the Tribe behind.

In the fecond Plate.

The two undermoft Coverings, (viz.) that of Goats Hair, and that of fine Linnen, were divided into feveral Curtains; but the two uppermost were not. The Covering of fine Linnen was ten Curtains; the Covering of Goats Hair was eleven Curtains, that one Curtain might hang down on the five Pillars before the Entrance of the Tabernacle, or be doubled backward upon it, Ex. xxvi. 1, &c. And yet befides this there was a Hanging or Vail of fine Linnen for the Door of the Tabernacle, of blue, purple, and fearlet, wrought with Needlework, like the Vail that hung at the Entrance of the Holy of Holies: And therefore St. Paul calls that the fecond Vail, Heb. ix. 3. in reference to this Hanging at the Door of the Tabernacle, or Holy Place, which was the firft.

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